The done-for-you marketing model has grown substantially over the past three years. Agencies handle strategy, execution, and reporting. Marketing leaders gain immediate capacity without hiring or managing internal teams.
Most DFY providers lack B2B marketing expertise.
The Fundamental Differences: Consumer vs. B2B Marketing
Most done-for-you providers apply consumer marketing tactics to B2B environments. The approach fails because the mechanics differ at every level. Here’s what separates the two disciplines.
Content & Creative
Consumer marketing content aims for immediate emotional response. Creative assets prioritize aesthetics, lifestyle association, and aspiration. The content must capture attention in seconds and drive impulse action. Think product glamour shots, lifestyle imagery, and benefit-focused copy that emphasizes how the product makes you feel.
B2B content serves a different function. It educates buying committees, builds credibility with technical evaluators, and provides justification for financial decision-makers. Creative assets need to communicate complex value propositions, demonstrate domain expertise, and withstand scrutiny from multiple stakeholders.
A consumer ad can succeed with a striking image and five words. A B2B asset often requires detailed explanations, proof points, and ROI frameworks. The creative must work for the IT director evaluating technical fit, the CFO assessing financial impact, and the VP concerned with implementation risk.
Consumer content optimizes for shareability and virality. B2B content optimizes for credibility and sales enablement. These are not inherently compatible goals.
Lead Generation
Consumer lead generation focuses on volume and speed. Capture contact information, trigger immediate follow-up sequences, and convert while interest remains high. The lead scoring models are simple: engagement level and basic demographic data. A consumer lead either converts quickly or becomes irrelevant.
B2B lead generation requires qualification depth. A contact’s job title means nothing without understanding their company’s maturity stage, technology stack, budget authority, and timing. B2B leads need scoring models that account for company firmographics, engagement across multiple stakeholders, and position in the buying cycle.
Consumer businesses can profit from thousands of small transactions. B2B companies need dozens of large contracts. This changes everything about lead generation strategy.
A consumer brand might celebrate 1,000 email signups. A B2B company needs to know: Are these signups from target accounts? Do they have budget authority? Are they actively evaluating solutions? Do they fit our ideal customer profile?
The metrics differ entirely. Consumer lead gen tracks cost per lead and conversion rate. B2B lead gen tracks cost per qualified opportunity and pipeline contribution. Generating 500 unqualified B2B leads costs more than generating zero.
Advertising
Consumer advertising casts wide nets. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer massive reach with interest-based targeting. The goal: get your product in front of as many potential buyers as possible within your demographic parameters. Broad targeting works because purchase decisions are individual and relatively low-risk.
B2B advertising requires precision targeting. You’re not trying to reach millions of potential buyers. You’re trying to reach 50-200 specific accounts with the right budget, need, and timing. The platforms differ: LinkedIn for professional targeting, account-based platforms for precise company selection, and intent data for timing signals.
Consumer ads optimize for attention and clicks. B2B ads optimize for account engagement and pipeline influence. A consumer campaign might run to 2 million people. A B2B campaign might target 500 people across 50 companies.The creative execution changes accordingly. Consumer ads need scroll-stopping visuals and emotional hooks. B2B ads need relevance to specific business problems and clear value articulation. A generic “boost your productivity” message might work for consumers. B2B buyers need to understand exactly how your solution addresses their particular operational challenges.
Consumer advertising success looks like high click-through rates and conversion volume. B2B advertising success looks like target account engagement, sales meeting bookings, and influenced pipeline. The measurement frameworks are incompatible.
Why This Matters for Agency Selection
Agencies built on consumer marketing principles will apply the wrong frameworks to your B2B challenges. They’ll chase vanity metrics, generate unqualified volume, and create content that fails with buying committees. The tactics that built their reputation don’t transfer.
B2B marketing requires different strategic thinking, different execution capabilities, and different success metrics. Your DFY provider needs to understand these distinctions before they touch your budget.
SimpleABM is a done-for-you account-based marketing agency. We build and execute target campaigns for B2B companies. Our team brings years of business-to-business marketing experience, focusing exclusively on the strategies, content, and measurement frameworks that drive B2B pipeline. Visit our Solutions page to see our approach.
